An Investment In Time.
Invest - Devote (one’s time, effort or energy) to a particular undertaking with the expectation of a worthwhile result.
Before I start, welcome to my first article of 2024. In truth, this article wasn’t an one that I foresaw even writing, that is purely down to the fact I am going to write wax lyrical about a gift I received over Christmas. A watch.
Now the watch itself, I like to think already embodies the the concept of an investment; and clearly not just in a financial manner. From my point of view the it embodies investment in me, my hobby, and in the course of time it will soon gain sentimental investment, which, to the majority out there in the wider “Watch Fam” would probably agree far outweighs any form of financial investment in the watch itself.
The story of this watch at the time of writing this article goes as follows. It was bought in Osaka, as a surprise Christmas present from my frankly better half, who at the time, took a trip out to Japan to meet up with her sister who was travelling Asia and Australia. Prior to the trip, I had spoken about how firstly I was (and still am) incredibly jealous of the trip as I am still yet to go to Japan (it is on the travel bucket list), and when I eventually get out there I would want to visit the Seiko Museum in Ginza, Tokyo and that I liked the idea of picking up a Japanese Domestic Market (JDM) watch.
For those who are unaware, there are JDM versions of the majority of Japanese exported products, ranging from Cars, Tech, and clearly timepieces. Compared to the internationally sold iterations of watches, the main difference will be a small line of text that literally reads ‘Made in Japan’ and if it has a date complication, the date wheel will have Kanji. There are also some out there, and maybe they are more cynical than me, but they do say that the timing tolerances of JDM watches (particularly mechanical/automatic) are tighter making the watches more accurate (from my experience so far there could be some truth in this statement).
So to the watch itself. As I wrote earlier, my frankly better half, who has had to put up with a lot of “watch chat” took it upon herself to buy me a watch, which had to hit her own following criteria -
1 - Has to be JDM.
2 - Has to be mechanical/automatic.
3 - Has to fit aesthetically into the wide watch collection.
There was probably also a size criteria, in that the box had to fit into a backpack as the trip was a backpacking trip across different parts of Japan. Fast forward to my Christmas leave when I was allowed to open my presents prior to travelling out to the Mediterranean for a week to visit family. The watch she chose in the end was a Seiko 5 Sports SBSA001 (JDM) or the SRPD51 in international references.
The specs for the watch are -
Case - 42.5mm x 13.4mm.
Case Material - Stainless Steel. Lug width - 22mm
Water Resistance - 100m.
Seiko Lumi-brite Handset and Dial. Dial - Sunburst Blue
Movement - 4R36 Automatic Movement with Day/ Date & 41 Hr power reserve.
My version of the watch came on a “oyster styled” steel bracelet with micro adjust in the clasp, which added to the stainless steel sports watch aesthetic. The bracelet has a seiko signed fold over clasp and two button release.
Now I would like to add this is my second modern Seiko. Previously my only other experience with modern Seiko was with the purchase of my Seiko 5 55th Anniversary SRPK17K1. The SBSA001 effectively shares the same aesthetic and wear-ability as the venerable Seiko SKX divers which were discontinued in 2019 (another watch I never owned or have had extended experience with). Now there are some out there who have debated and discussed since the launch of this interpretation of the Seiko 5 Sports Line that it was introduced as a replacement of the SKX “just on a budget”, to the point they actively dislike it and discount it as option in their collections. I would disagree, as I believe that the majority of those who buy this watch would gain more compared to the SKX due to the the use of a technologically better movement, I mean c’mon its 2024 and the ability to hack and wind a movement is something I would take over the 200m WR that the SKX offered. Also the majority of those who buy one of these Seiko “Skin Divers” will barely take these watches down to depth anyway, and even if they did, I am sure they would be perfectly fine. Just make sure you get the gaskets checked periodically, and let us not forget the famous Swiss diving watches people aspire to that all started with either 100m WR, or push pull non screw down crowns... (I’m looking at you Rolex and Omega). Also that this point I may as well reference a video interview with Ben Lowry (@submersiblewrist) who took his Seiko 5 GMT down to 30m on a dive and low and behold both he and his watch survived!
Now I’m not saying that out the box the SBSA001 is a perfect watch. Although clearly I have struggled to take it off my wrist since receiving it. It has already had a trip to the Mediterranean and potentially it’ll have another overseas trip in the near future. What I will say albeit not perfect, the wearability, timing and its aesthetic lend this watch (and the full line of Seiko 5 Sports) as a great contender to be great daily driver, suitable to be dressed up, dressed down, and robust enough to take on your daily life and keeping you on time as you go through your day. I mean don’t forget the lineage of Seiko and their reputation of crafting some of the best (in-house) timepieces ever made! Watches that have graced the wrists of military personnel, adventurers, pioneers, scientists and even fictional characters fighting xenomorph infestations on colonial outposts across the far flung galaxies.
For me another massive positive of this watch line, is that there thousands of aftermarket options for you to truly “bring it up to spec”. Want a new bezel? Theres options, want a new handset? Easy! New strap/bracelet combination? You’re covered!
Going back to this watch being an investment. For me, and the lifestyle I lead, I have decided that there are two things that need to be changed in order for this watch to sit more practically in my collection. Firstly I plan to swap the OEM bezel insert with a 12 hour lumed bezel insert (from DLW). The addition of the 12 hour lumed bezel insert is two fold, firstly we all like lime right? Secondly as I travel both professionally and personally I am often having to track two time-zones, this mod will effectively be as James Stacey of ‘The Grey NATO’ coined my “Cheap Mean Time” or “CMT” watch. The second and final “mod” is the bracelet/strap option. The OEM bracelet is comfortable but as I have “mortal sized wrists” I believe the addition of an Uncle Strap Jubilee will just allow the watch to sit better on my wrist. The smaller links will conform to my wrist better, whilst adding a touch of “vintage /classic charm” to how the watch looks. For this mod, I debated on doing it myself but in honesty I am just going to lean on the experience of another RTWB Contributor and send it upto Sei-Koded for a short spar visit. When it gets back, I will clearly update this article or write a new one about how the mod went and the continued journey that this watch will have with me and within my overall collection.
So until that update, I hope you all continue to invest your time into your timepieces, go out and wear them and hopefully they will, like this SBSA001 take on the investment that you put into them.
Links
Seiko - @seikowatchesofficial
Sei-Koded @seikoded
DLW - @dlw.watches
Uncle Straps - @unclestraps
Watches of a Professional Diver -https://youtu.be/E7RV5GIvuu8?si=su0c-CZW-anWYPSo
